Who is running for District Judge, 194th Judicial District in 2026?
Here are the candidates for District Judge, 194th Judicial District on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Dallas County.
Judges may not promise how they would rule, so we show experience and record instead of issue positions. How to research a judge.
Kim Cooks
DemocraticVisiting district judge; former judge, 255th District Court (Dallas County)
Kim Cooks served as judge of the 255th District Court in Dallas County from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2022, and has since served as a visiting district judge in North Texas counties12. She won the May 26, 2026 Democratic primary runoff for the 194th District Court3. She has no opponent on the November 3, 2026 ballot4.
- Judge, 255th District Court (Dallas County), January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2022; lost her 2022 Democratic primary for reelection12
- Visiting district judge in North Texas counties since 20222
- Finished first in the March 3, 2026 three-way Democratic primary and won the May 26, 2026 runoff against Peggy Hoffman, who presides over County Criminal Court No. 9532. The seat is being vacated by Judge Ernest White2. No other candidate is certified for the November race4.
- Public discipline: December 20, 2018: public warning and order of additional education (two hours of instruction with a mentor) from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, issued while she was judge of the 255th District Court, CJC Nos. 18-0819 and 18-0877. The order states that she and Judge Andrea Martin of the 304th Juvenile District Court jointly produced a 2018 campaign mailer and two videos and jointly hosted a fundraiser, and concludes that this lent the prestige of judicial office to advance the other judge's private interests (Canon 2B) and amounted to a public endorsement barred by Canon 5(2), which it calls willful violations6. The outcome was the warning and additional education; the order records no further penalty6. The Commission's FY 2019 public sanctions list records the same sanction against Hon. Kim Cooks, 255th District Court, Dallas, dated 12/20/20187. Identity: the order and list name "Hon. Kim Cooks, 255th District Court, Dallas County", which matches her service as that court's judge from 2015 to 2022, and the Dallas Morning News reports this 2018 warning in connection with her 2026 candidacy8.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.